


In the Moment

by gongji



Category: Fire Emblem: If | Fire Emblem: Fates
Genre: Family, Fluff, Leoniles family, M/M, Romance, leoniles exchange
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-29
Updated: 2017-06-29
Packaged: 2018-11-20 20:41:43
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,135
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11342826
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gongji/pseuds/gongji
Summary: Nina and Forrest ask their parents how they got together. They're not sure they get the answers they expect.





	In the Moment

**Author's Note:**

> For the LeoNiles Exchange on Twitter! Ah!

 

“Father, when did you and Papa fall in love?”

The question is sudden, a break in the long silence that had fallen as both Forrest and Nina struggled to keep themselves occupied while Leo finished the last passage in his book. Leo pauses, looks up at his children, looks back down at his book, and then looks right back up at them again. “What was that?”

Nina hops onto the chair beside him and lands on her knees, bouncing on the upholstery and leaning over the headrest to face him. “When did you know you loved Papa?”

“Ah.” Leo shuts his book and sets it down on his lap, turning his attention to the two of them. “Where is this coming from?”

“We wanted to know,” Forrest says, joining his father on the couch and sitting beside him. “Nina and I were thinking about it, and we realized we don’t really know much about how you both fell in love.”

“So tell us!” Nina continues, “Did you always know? Was it steamy and romantic, always meant to be?” She gasps at a new thought, “or was it a forbidden love? Did you have to fight to be together? Did anyone _die_?!”

“Nina…” Forrest makes a face, “we talked about this.…”

“No, it’s alright.” Leo’s lips curl into a faint smile, amused by his children's question. “I suppose I could tell you...” He trails off, and watches his children’s eyes widen and sparkle, “... if you finish all of your studies today.”

They groan in unison, Nina louder than Forrest. “But that’s what you told us the _last_ time. What’s so taboo about letting your kids know about their parents?”

“Nothing ‘taboo,’ more like an incentive to finish what I hope you’ve already started.” The kids groan again, and drag themselves away to finish up their tasks.

“Fine. But we’ll be back!” Nina cries from the door.

Leo lets out a long sigh. When did he and Niles fall in love… what was the answer to that question?

 

* * *

 

Niles takes a seat in Leo’s study, looking around at his lord’s choice of decor as he waits patiently for Leo to finish writing whatever it was he needed to finish. The walls are covered by tall bookshelves, filled from top to bottom with thick books that look well-read just from a cursory glance at the spine. Some books are stacked on top of the shelf, others aren’t pushed all the way in, and a few even lie cover-side down wherever there was free space in what could have been a hasty attempt to put them away. To the side, a portrait hangs on the wall, of what looks like a young Leo, Lady Camilla, Lord Xander, and a few other children he doesn’t recognize. Leo looks to be the youngest in the painting, so Niles wagers this must have been before Elise was born. His gaze trails towards a few other paintings - another one of Leo, this time a bust from when he was a bit older; one of some sort of artistic, dark grotto, and one that looked like the forests of Nohr, but in sunlight, which meant that it probably wasn’t painted in his lifetime. The candles on Leo’s desk flicker, framing his face with a warm light.

“Apologies.” Leo breaks the silence and sets down his pen. “I’ve finished, sorry to keep you waiting. I didn’t quite think you’d be here so quickly when I summoned you.”

Niles cracks a smile in response, “What does milord need from me, so late at night? Surely you know better than to fuel gossip around the servants.” He tilts his head, amused. “You should have seen the look on the maid’s face when she told me you requested my presence… in your chambers.”

“Yes, well.” Leo’s voice falters in a way that suggest he hadn’t considered that. “Down to business then,” he says as he rises from his chair.

“So forward!” Niles teases, swooning and leaning back against his chair. “I suppose I have no choice, if milord wishes!”

“As you know, the royal ball is approaching much faster than I’d realized. I know this may be… unorthodox of me to ask, but--”

“Oh, of _course_ I’ll be your date, milord!” The teasing continues, and Leo stutters when he looks away.

“Th-that’s not - ahem - It’s quite embarrassing, but there will certainly be dancing and I’ve fallen out of practice. I know you don’t know the steps, but I’d be willing to teach you if you’d be willing to be let me practice with you.”

“Hah. Ahah. Milord, you’d have better luck trying to dance with Odin. I’m not sure I’m the right practice partner for you.” He bites his lip. “Why not ask Lady Camilla, or Lady Elise? I’m sure they’d be thrilled.”

“Because I’m asking you.” Leo’s voice is firm, and he holds out his hand. “I know they would agree, but I’m asking you.”

Niles is silent for a moment, perhaps flustered at heart, and then takes his hand, trying to hide the pleased expression on his face. “Then who am I to refuse?”

 

* * *

 

“Huh? Dancing?” Nina says with a mouthful of food. Leo makes a face at the crumbs she leaves on the table.

“I think that’s very romantic, Father.” Forrest’s table manners are comparably much better than his sister’s, and he carefully waits until he finishes speaking before taking another small bite of food.

“I know, I’m quite the dancer, you know.” Niles looks proud of himself, “you should have seen me at the ball, too. Everyone wanted to dance with me but I only had eyes for your father,” he says, while struggling to cut through the tough piece of overcooked meat on his plate (Nina had cooked dinner that night, and — predictably — lost track of what she was doing just as two male guards had walked past the window. By the time she’d stopped daydreaming, it was already too late — the damage had been done. Niles, of course, took the overcooked piece for himself so his family could eat the better portions. The things he did for love.)

“Oh, is that how you remember it?” Leo raises an eyebrow and leans his head on his hand, gently pointing his fork towards Niles with a smirk. “If memory serves, I believe it was the other way around.”

Niles returns his smirk. “You don’t remember how good my dancing was that night? You didn’t think I was good?”

“I only say this because I’ve seen it, and you’re not.”

“And yet you still wanted to end the night in my arms,” Niles replies with a playful lilt. “On the ballroom floor, of course,” he adds quickly, lest Nina tries to draw any naughty conclusion from his words.

She perks up regardless. “Does that mean you both danced together at the ball too?”

Leo hums, “I... may have asked him for a dance.”

“Or two,” Niles adds once more. “Several.”

“Hm.” Leo takes a bite of tomato and looks away.

 

* * *

 

“That attire makes you look good. Fancy, even. I hardly recognize you.” Niles looks up from where he stood in the corner of the ballroom when he heard Leo’s voice.

“Does milord approve?” Niles fakes a bow as his lord approaches. “I’ll admit when they told me I’d need to look well-dressed just to stand in the corner and keep an eye on you, I didn’t quite expect such a suit and tie.”

Leo chuckles. “Neither did I. But I think it’s a good look.” The way Leo looks him up and down makes his cheeks feel somewhat flushed. “Though perhaps I do prefer my usual Niles.” He pauses, suddenly aware of his word choice. “Ah, your usual attire, I mean.”

“Thank you, milord,” is all Niles says. Leo flounders for a moment, awkwardly, and then clears his throat.

“Well, it’d be a waste for such a nice outfit to spend the entire night at the back of the room.” Leo holds out his hand. “Would you like to dance, Niles? You must remember the steps we’ve practiced.”

“That’s… not really my scene. Are you sure, with so many people watching you and your retainer?”

“Just one?” Leo tilts his head in a way that he knows Niles has difficulty resisting. “Just one,” he repeats as Niles sighs with a fond smile.

“Just one.”

Leo leads him to the dance floor and into his arms once again, just like they spent the night practicing in his study, slipping his fingers neatly through his retainer’s and resting his other hand on Niles’ shoulder. Niles, in turn, rests his hand on Leo’s waist. Niles has no difficulty remembering the steps of the dance - a slow step, a glide, a smaller step; lean, glide, step… and then it dawns on him that Niles wasn’t really thinking about the dance steps at all. In fact, his focus was on the way Leo’s fingers were laced through his, and the glimmer in his eyes was so bright, Niles could see himself in them the more he gazed into them. His hand twitches against Leo’s waist, his heart flutters, and when Leo spins away from him, Niles has to remind himself that they are at a ball, surrounded by people. And this was just a dance, and nothing more.

Leo glides back, returning to face Niles palm to palm. “You know,” he begins, as the music changes. “I think this was a lot more fun when it was just the two of us.” He switches his steps to accommodate the new song, and Niles follows.

“Why does milord say that?”

Leo smiles slowly, the smallest window of affection, “Because we were alone. And no one was watching.”

Niles nearly trips over his own feet, but catches himself in such a way that he doesn’t miss a beat. “And would you like that, Lord Leo?”

Leo laughs – a short, breathy chuckle from the back of his throat. “I would.” There is a silence between them, long enough that the song changes once again. Leo leans in closer, shortening the distance between them. “This is our third dance.”

“It is, indeed.”

Leo slides his hand down Niles’ shoulder. “Niles,” he begins, that sharp glimmer in his eye transforming into something much, much deeper. “Would you perhaps like to leave early and go somewhere a little quieter?”

Niles tugs at Leo’s waist, bringing him closer as well. “With you, Lord Leo, I’d love to.” He leans in, desperate to close the distance completely and eager to lock lips with his lord, and Leo tilts his head as his eyes close, ready… waiting…

 

* * *

 

“Wait, wait, that is not what happened!” Leo interrupts the memory. “Niles, that is not how that night ended.”

Nina whines, loudly and audibly. “C’moooon he was just getting to the good part!” They’re all piled together on the couch now, sleepy and full as they listen to the story, and Forrest tries to mask a yawn with an “uh huh!”

Niles chuckles. “Okay, okay, _fine_. It’s true, nothing happened that night. That was the last dance we shared before someone so cruelly whisked him away from me for a dance of their own.” He feigns a dramatic sob, “and left me all alone…”

“Which is only to be expected from a _prince_ of _Nohr_  at a _ball_.” Leo stresses every noun for emphasis. “All that moment was… was…” he trails off, quiet, almost like he was contemplating his next words.

“ _The moment I knew I loved him_.” Niles finishes the sentence for him. “He knew, of course, that I’ve loved him for years. But it was not my place at the time to act on those feelings.” He pauses, as Nina and Forrest try to wrap their heads around their past relationship as Lord and Retainer. “Ah, you’ll understand when you’re older. But as for that night, the only kiss that happened was the tender one I left on the back of his hand as I left…” His teasing lilt is aimed directly at Nina, who is struggling to hide her grin in front of her father.

“But… you didn’t tell each other that, right?” Forrest asks. “Neither of you knew about your feelings that night?”

Nina blurts out, “Forget that, when did you guys first KISS?”

“Nice try.” Niles laughs. “That’s private information.”

“May we know the confession then, Father?” Forrest puts on his best smile and tilts his head, something he must have learned from Leo.

“Next time. It’s late, and you two should be heading to bed now.” Leo tries to free himself from the cuddle pile, but Nina has made herself comfortable sprawled across his lap.

“One more story!” Nina chants, somehow sliding her way around the couch so that she was hanging upside down from it. “One more story!”

“No more story. Bedtime.” Niles picks her up and hoists her over his shoulder, where she pouts and frowns. “Come on, I’ll read you a different story if you want. Forrest, you can pick it out.” He holds out his free hand for Forrest to grab onto, and whisks the children to their rooms.

Leo leans back on the couch with a satisfied sigh. Thinking back on how he and Niles fell in love was bittersweet, because it meant recounting all the years they spent side by side, and just how long it took them to get together now knowing that Niles had spent half of those years with feelings he thought were unrequited. But at the same time, here he was now, with a beloved family of his own, something he once thought he’d never have with someone he truly loved. And for Niles, too, the idea of having a family to call his own was once such a foreign concept, so foreign that he never dared to even dream of it. But Leo remembers the day he held a baby Forrest in his arms – how small and delicate he was as he babbled up at him – and the way Niles had cried the first time he got to cradle Nina, and never wanted to let her go. No matter how many years he feels like he had wasted longing for what could have been, in the end, nothing could take these memories away from him. Content with where he’d found himself in life, he sits back and opens up the book he’d left on the table some hours earlier.

He doesn’t know how much time has passed since he’d started reading the book, but he is interrupted once again by a disembodied “Faaattthhheerrr~.” Startled, his head shoots up to see Nina and Forrest peeking into the room.

“Oh, Gods.” Leo shuts the book. “You scared me. I thought you two went to bed.”

“We did. But Forrest chose a really boring story and Papa fell asleep reading it. So we came back,” Nina says, entering the room and climbing over the couch once again.

Forrest is frowning. “The evolution of contemporary women’s fashion as told by a traditionally conservative seamstress is _not_ boring.”

“Hm,” is Leo’s reply, leaning his head on his hand. “And what did you want from me?”

“We were hoping you’d finally tell us that one story. How you told Papa you loved him.”

Feeling defeated by his own children and their desperate attempts to get this story out of him, Leo hums, “I wrote him a letter.”

“A letter? Like a love letter? Like what did you say? I _told_ you this was a secret love, I told you and you didn’t believe me!” Nina sticks out her tongue at Forrest, who doesn’t dignify her with a reaction.

“Oh, no it’s nothing like that.” Leo says, crossing his legs. “It was just a simple letter. That’s all.”

“Well, what did it say?”

 

* * *

 

“Um,” is the first word out of Leo’s mouth that day, so already the day had taken an unusual turn. “This is for you.”

Niles looks down at the white envelope in his lord’s hand, and then looks back up to look at his lord’s pink cheeks. “What is this?”

“A letter. For you.”

“Oh, who is it from?” Niles gently slips the envelope from Leo’s fingers, noting the fanciful way his name is written on the front of the paper.

“Who is it _from_?” Leo repeats, as if it were a ridiculous question and Niles was an idiot for asking. “From me, of course.” The corner of Niles’ lips twitches in a playful smile he tries to fend off in the moment.

“Something milord can’t tell me in person?” He glides his finger across the wax seal that holds the paper closed, feeling the bumps of the wax against his skin. “I wonder what that could be~” he teases, “should I open it now?”

“No,” Leo says a bit too quickly for his liking. “Read it on your own time, but not now.” By the time he finishes his sentence, Niles had already broken the wax seal and was opening the letter. “Ack – Niles!”

“Oh, my apologies, milord. Was that an order?” The paper smells nice. Niles refrains from sniffing it.

Leo grunts, and then huffs, which Niles interprets as some sort of annoyance, frustration, and also endearment - and then frustration at the endearment. “No, but I didn’t want – _Niles_!” His face lights up a bright red when he looks up and sees that Niles had unfolded the letter and was now reading the contents. His eye scans the page side to side, taking in every word, every letter, every punctuation of the artfully written script… and then he stops. Leo waits, with bated breath.

“Hm, milord…” He begins, lowering the page. “This is very thoughtful, but…” He cracks a teasing smile, and then waves the page playfully. “You know I can’t read.”

Leo rips the page out of his hand before the action processes. “You can so! I taught you myself!” He blurts out, and then clears his throat to correct his tone. “Or have you not been practicing since our sessions?”

Niles shrugs. “That must be it. Well, there’s only one thing to do – I suppose you’ll just have to read it out loud for me, milord.”

Leo sighs loudly, and tries to smooth out the crinkles from where he’d clutched the page so tightly in his fist. “V-very well. Ah.” He pauses, and then clears his throat again. “To my loyal retainer, Niles.” His gaze darts up at Niles with the quickest glance, and then back down at the paper again. Niles crosses his arms with a smile.

“I am writing this letter to commend you for your hard work. Thank you very much for everything that you’ve done. Please see to it that you keep up the good work in retainership. Signed, Lord Leo,” he reads. “There. That is all. You are dismissed.”

Niles nods, fondly, “Of course.”

 

* * *

 

“ _What_?” Nina yells, incredulous. “That’s all the letter said?”

“Of course,” replies Leo. “That’s all.”

“But how is that a love letter?” She bats her hands against the seat of the chair. “That didn’t say anything at all, you just told him that he did a good job!”

“Perhaps a secret language we don’t know about?” Forrest thoughtfully raises a hand to his chin.

“Papa’s not that smart,” Nina says.

“Well, in any case, I’ve told you what you wanted to know.”

“No you didn’t!”

“Off to bed now, you two.”

The children sigh, and just as they’re about to admit defeat, a voice rings out from the doorway.

“Lying to our children, are we?” Niles leans against the doorframe, the playful lilt of his voice bringing a blush to Leo’s face, and a smile to the children’s.

“I thought you went to bed,” Leo says, as Niles walks over.

“Without you? Never,” is the reply, and he hovers over where Nina and Forrest sit. “I hear you’re curious about that letter.”

“We are,” Forrest begins, cautiously. “Did it really say what Father says it did?”

“Of course!” Leo replies, but it’s completely drowned out by the louder, “of course _not_!” from Niles.

“Your father is very smart, thinking he can get away with lying about that letter,” Niles says. “Now, what that letter really said was…” He pauses, with a mischievous smile, “just how much he wanted…” Another pause, as he watches both Nina and Forrest lean in, eyes glowing with anticipation. “... for you both to go to bed!” He scoops them up with one swift motion, and they both shriek.

“Aughhh!! Noooo!” Nina whines, as Forrest submits to being hauled off to bed with a disappointed sigh. “I don’t wanna!” she cries. “Put me down! I’m too old for this!”

“You’re never too old for your father’s love,” Niles laughs. “You’re both my darling treasures.”

“Ew, gross!” Nina makes a face. “Cut that out!”

“I love you so much, my precious daughter.”

“No! Stop that! Nooooo!” Nina’s voice trails off into the distance as she’s hauled away back to her room, and for the third time that day, Leo reaches for his book.

He isn’t able to get very far into it, though, because he hears footsteps returning to him not long after. He sighs, and closes the book, wondering why he’d even bothered picking it back up again. “Yes–?”

“To~ my loyal retainer~ Niles,” a familiar voice recites, “I have a problem, and for the life of me I can't figure out a solution.” Leo looks up to watch Niles slowly enter the room with a smile on his face. “There's something I want very badly, but I don't know how to go about obtaining it.”

“Niles?” Leo almosts misses the table in trying to set the book down.

He continues, “I've never had a problem I couldn't think my way out of. I know it would be foolish to act without proper planning... and yet, I don't think I can hold myself back any longer.” Leo closes his eyes, the words all coming back to him, from the very moment he wrote line after line of every drafted page, to the memory where he watched Niles break the wax seal of his heart and emotions on a single page of paper.

“When I am by your side, when you smile at me, for the first time in my life, I feel happy. Pure happiness, like everything finally made sense in my life. And I've been battling these emotions for so long, but I cannot hold them back any longer.” The way the words leave Niles’ lips feel like a song, a distant reminder of a love that only grew stronger with time, and Leo is entranced.

“Just as you had pledged your life to me, I swear to devote my life to your happiness. And if you will have me, Niles, I would be yours. Just as you would be mine. Will you do me this honor?” Niles joins him on the couch, slips his fingers through Leo’s with a smile. “Yours truly, and evermore, Lord Leo.”

Leo’s eyes are wide, but soften when Niles sits beside him. “The letter that I wrote you… but you said you couldn’t read it. So all this time…?”

“Sorry, I thought it’d be fun.” Niles buries his face in Leo’s neck. “I wanted to hear you tell me your confessions in that sweet voice of yours, but you were too smart for me.”

Leo wants to be annoyed, but he isn’t, “And you waited all this time to tell me that now? Years later?” Niles pulls away to give him a quick peck on the lips.

“Did you know I knew what it said? Surely you must have caught on,” Niles asks, kissing his forehead.

“I had my suspicions,” Leo replies, resting his head against Niles’ shoulder. “You were always crafty.”

“Mm, but you were the crafty one, making up your fake letter on the go. And you thought I’d be none the wiser.”

“I'd hidden my feelings for so long,” Leo says, softly. “I just couldn’t believe you felt the same way all that time, and I was too cowardly to do anything. To say anything.”

“Are you mad?” Niles asks.

“Not at all,” Leo replies, “In fact, I’m impressed you had it memorized, even after all these years.”

Niles chuckles, giving him another kiss. “I used to read it every night, you know. And I believe I still have it.”

“Oh, get rid of it, that’s in the past. I think we have new memories to create, now.” Leo draws his legs up over Niles’ lap and rests a hand on Niles’ cheek. “Tonight, perhaps?” He pulls him close, kisses him softly, tenderly, fingers gently caressing Niles’ face.

“As you wish, my love.” Niles whispers against his lips, content. “Ever as you wish.”

**Author's Note:**

> Yes okay so Leo's love letter is actually just his S support with Corrin plus or minus some things but. YOU KNOW!
> 
> This is the most G rated fluffiest thing I've ever written maybe probably


End file.
